Refrigerant evaporator



June 29, 1954 H F. POWELL REFRIGERANT EVAPORATOR Original Filed Sept. 12, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. HEIZSCHEL. F POWELL.

ATTY

June 29,

Original Filed Sept. 12, 1945 REFRIGERANT EVAPORATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 B 11 F F C 1 63 55 N M 12 5, I3 56 45 45' INVENTOR.

( IZLERSCHEL. F Pow Eu.

41 flaw/QM Patented June 29, 1954 REFRIGERANT EVAPORATOR Herschel F. Powell, Greenville, Mich., assignor to Gibson Refrigerator Mich, a corporation of Michigan Company, Greenville,

Original application September 12, 1945, Serial No. 615,862. Divided and this application June 28, 1950, Serial No. 170,887

12 Claims. 1

This invention relates to refrigerant evaporators and more particularly to a novel form of sheet metal evaporator.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 615,862 filed September 12, 1945, now abandoned.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an efi'icient sheet metal evaporator which can be economically fabricated in various sizes with a minimum number of forming tools.

A further object of the invention is to provide to basic design of sheet metal evaporator which can be formed to various shapes for special purposes without change in the fundamental design or method of fabrication.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sheet metal evaporator which can be mounted within a compartment to be cooled so as to provide positive refrigeration immediately adjacent the side walls of the compartment.

These and other objects of the present invention will be apparent from a reading of the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of an evaporator plate from which various forms of the evaporator may be fabricated;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the plate shown in Figures 1 and 2 bent to place the evaporator headers adjacent the refrigerant passageway;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevational view on an enlarged scale of a portion of the evaporator shown in Figure 3;

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively elevational and plan views of a modified form of evaporator employing the plate type evaporator shown in Figures 3 and 4;

Figure '7 is an elevational View of a still further modified form of evaporator; and

Figures 8 and 9 illustrate still other forms of evaporator embodying the present invention.

In its simplest form the evaporator consists merely of two sheets of metal l0 and II secured together at their edges and formed to provide therebetweenheaders l2 and I3 and a continuous refrigerant passageway l4. Preferably one half of each of the headers I2 and I3 is formed in each of the sheets Ill and II by means of suitable dies. This is preferred in order to obtain a header of sufficient size. Preferably the refrigerant passageway 14 is formed by pressing a continuous groove or corrugation of serpentine configuration only in one sheet II by suitable dies.

The corrugation forming the refrigerant passageway I l preferably is shaped so that the greater portions of the convolutions thereof extend substantially perpendicular to the longer axes of the headers and the ends of the convolutions terminate a substantial distance from the headers, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. The headers 12 and I3 and the refrigerant passageway [4 are formed in the respective plates it and il, the two plates are placed in contact with each other and welded together. The entire peripheries of the plates are seam welded to eliminate leakage of refrigerant between them. Also the plates are welded together along the lines iii shown in Figure 1 to eliminate leakage from the headers into the passageway I l except through conduits provided for that purpose, which will be more fully described presently. The two plates are also welded together between the convolutions of the serpentine passageway M.

The evaporator plate formed. as shown in Figures l and 2 may be bent into the formation shown in Figures 3 and 4 by bending the plates along lines parallel to the headers between the headers and the ends of the convolutions of passageway 54, as clearly illustrated in Figure 4. This places the headers in close proximity to the ends of the convolutions of the passageway It. The headers l2 and I3 are then connected by conduits l6 and IT to the respective ends of the passageway I l. ihus, header [2 is connected by conduit I! to the end of the passage-v way 14 shown in the upper left hand portion of Figure 1 while header I3 is connected to the end of the passageway I4 shown in the right hand portion of Figure l. The evaporator thus formed can be utilized as a simple shelf type evaporator by mounting the same on suitable supports, such as supports [8 and [9 connected to the refrigerator liner wall it, as shown in Figure 4. The evaporator [2 can be connected to a refrigerant compressor-condenser system (not shown) by a conduit 2| while header It can be connected to the other end of the compressor-condenser system by a conduit 22.

It will be apparent that when the evaporator is mounted as shown in Figure 4 and connected to a suitable compressor-condenser system substantially the entire shelf will provide positive refrigeration. Furthermore, the headers are arranged in a position out of the normally useable space within the refrigerator cabinet.

Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a form of the evaporator which can be produced in part from the evaporator shown in Figures 3 and 4. In this form of the invention there is associated with the evaporator of Figures 3 and 4 an additional evaporator plate 30 which consists of a pair of metal sheets secured together to form a continuous refrigerant passageway therebetween. This passageway consists of elongated convolutions arranged in spaced relation to the end of the evaporator plate 30, as clearly indicated in Figure 6. The ends of the plate are bent at right angles, as indicated at 32, and form an inverted u-shaped structure. The free ends of the legs of the U are secured to the evaporator of Figures 3 and 4 as at 33.

By the arrangement just described the evaporator shown in Figure 6 provides a chest, one end of which may be closed as hereinafter described. Provision is made for circulating refrigerant through both evaporators. This is accomplished by connecting one end of the refrigerant passageway 3| to the header l2 by conduit 34, by connecting the opposite end of passage 3| to a refrigerant liquid line 33 which may be a capillary tube and by connecting header |3 to a suction line 36. It will be understood that liquid line 35 and suction line 36 are connected to a condensing unit, not shown. Thus, refrigerant is introduced into one end of passageway 3| and after passing through plate 30, enters header i2. From header l2 it passes through the passage-- Way l4 into header |3 from whence it is withdrawn through suction line 36.

As previously mentioned, one end of the chestlike evaporator shown in Figures 5 and 6 may be closed. To that end an integral extension 31 of one of the sheets of plate 3|! is bent at right an" gles to the surface of the plate and serves as a closure for the rear end of the chest. A portion of the plate 30 is preferably secured to the rear edges of the walls of the other three sides of the chest so as to form a more rigid structure.

The evaporator shown in Figure '7 is formed from the same evaporator plate shown in Figures l and 2 by bending the unit to produce a pair of box-like compartments having a common wall 33 which is the section of the evaporator plate adjacent the header I2. It will be observed that the end portions of the unit are bent so as to position the headers I2 and I3 below and closely adjacent to the wall 38. This is considered to be the most economical and efficient disposition of the headers. However, it will be understood that the ends of the unit may be bent otherwise so as to place the headers I2 and i3 in other desired positions.

The evaporator illustrated in Figure 8 is formed from a unit generally similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 but wherein one of the sheets, preferably the uncorrugated sheet I0, is longer than the sheet The unit is then bent to the configuration shown in Figure 8 and the free elongated end of sheet in is secured to an intermediate portion of the unit, as at 40. Thus, there is formed a combination unit consisting of a plate type evaporator section 4| and a sleeve type evaporator section 42 at the other end.

The evaporator illustrated in Figure 9 is generally similar to that shown in Figure 8. It differs therefrom by omission of the header as well as the extension of plate Hi. The unit is bent back upon itself and one end is secured to an intermediate portion at 43 to form a sleeve type evaporator section 44 and a plate type evaporator section 45. A liquid line 46 is connected directly to one end of the refrigerant passageway 4 l4 while a suction line 41 is connected to the header I3.

The manner in which evaporating units are installed in refrigerators and the construction and operation of condensing units, are so well known to those skilled in the art that neither are shown or described herein. It should be understood, however, that the various forms of evaporators embodying the present invention may be used in any conventional form of refrigerator and that the evaporators may be operatively connected to any conventional form of condensing unit.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the present invention provides a simple basic form of evaporator which may be produced in various sizes and adapted to various configurations either by itself or in combination with other elements, at a minimum of expense and inconvenience.

The scope of the invention is indicated in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A sheet metal evaporator unit comprising a pair of sheets of metal secured together and formed to provide therebetween an inlet header at one end and an outlet header at the other end of the unit and a continuous refrigerant passageway comprising a series of convoluted corrugations, the corrugations closest to said headers being spaced a substantial distance therefrom so as to provide an uncorrugated zone therebetween, the opposite ends being bent in said non-corrugated zones substantially more than to place the headers in close proximity to the corrugations, means connecting one end of said corrugated refrigerant passageway to one of the headers, and means connecting the other end of said corrugated passageway to the other of said headers.

2. A refrigerant evaporator chest including: a first sheet metal unit comprising a pair of sheets of metal secured together to form therebetween a header adjacent each of the opposite ends thereof and a continuous convoluted refrigerant passageway, the opposite ends of said unit being bent back upon the intermediate portion substantially more than 90 to place the headers in close proximity to the intermediate portion, and means connecting each end of the passageway to one of said headers; a second unit comprising a pair of sheets of metal secured together to form a continuous convoluted refrigerant passageway therebetween; said last mentioned unit being longer than said first mentioned unit and being bent to U-shaped configuration; said first mentioned unit being secured in position to bridge the space between the free ends of the legs of the U of the other unit to form therewith a box-like compartment; and means connecting one of the headers of the first mentioned unit to the refrigerant passageway of the second unit.

3. A refrigerant evaporating unit comprising a pair of sheets of metal secured together and formed to provide therebetween a header adjacent each of the opposite ends thereof and a continuous refrigerant passageway having its opposite ends connected to said headers, said unit being bent to form a pair of box like compartments having a common wall and with both headers disposed wholly within one compartment.

4. A refrigerant evaporating unit comprising a pair of sheets of metal secured together and formed to provide therebetween a header adjacent each of the opposite ends thereof and a continuous refrigerant passageway, the opposite ends of the refrigerant passageway being connected to said headers, said unit being bent to form a pair of box like compartments having a common wall and with the headers disposed adjacent the opposite lateral sides of said common wall.

5. A refrigerant evaporator chest including: a first unit comprising a pair of sheets of metal secured together and formed to provide therebetween a header and a continuous convoluted refrigerant passageway in the zone adjacent the header and spaced therefrom so as to provide a non-convoluted zone therebetween, the portion of said first unit carrying the header being bent in said non-convoluted zone substantially more than 90 degrees to place the header in close proximity to the convoluted zone, and means connecting the passageway to the header; a second unit comprising a pair of sheets or" metal secured together and formed to provide therebetween a continuous convoluted refrigerant passageway, said passageway terminating in spaced relationship tothe opposite ends of second unit; said second unit being bent to Ushaped configuration; said first mentioned unit being secured in position to bridge the space between the free ends of the legs of the U of the other unit to form therewith a box-like compartment; and means connecting a header of the first mentioned unit to the refrigerant passageway of the second unit.

6. A refrigerant evaporating chest as defined in claim 5 wherein said refrigerant passageways comprise corrugations formed in at least one of the sheets.

7. A refrigerant evaporator chest of generally boxlike configuration having top, bottom and two side walls, one of said walls comprising a pair of sheets of metal secured together and formed to provide therebetween a header adjacent one end thereof and a continuous convoluted refrigerant passageway spaced a substantial distance from said header, the end of said wall adjacent said header being bent in the zone between the header and said passageway substantially more than 90 degrees to place the header in close proximity to the passageway, and a conduit extending between the header and said passageway and connected thereto.

8. A refrigerant evaporator chest as defined in 6 claim 5 wherein the means connecting the refrigerant passageway to the header comprises a conduit inserted between the header and the adjacent end of the passageway.

9. A sheet metal evaporator unit comprising a pair of sheets of metal secured together and formed to provide therebetween an elongated header adjacent an end of said sheets and a refrigerant passageway spaced therefrom, the end of said unit containing said header being bent back upon the remainder of said unit at an angle of greater than ninety degrees to place the header in close proximity to the passageway, and a conduit connecting said passageway to said header.

it. A sheet metal evaporator unit of the character defined in claim 9 wherein the connection between the header and the refrigerant passageway extends to the header within the space between the angularly related portions of said unit.

11. A refrigerant evaporating unit comprising a pair of sheets of metal formed and secured together to provide therebetween a header adjacent one end thereof and a refrigerant passageway spaced therefrom, said unit being bent to form a sleeve type evaporator at one end thereof and a plate type evaporator section at the other end thereof, the end of said unit containing said header being bent back upon the adjacent por tion of said unit at an angle of greater than ninety degrees to place the header in close proximity to the passageway, and a conduit connecting said passageway to said header.

1%. A refrigerant evaporating unit as defined in claim 11 wherein one of said sheets of metal extends substantially beyond the end of said other sheet and the extended portion of said first mentioned sheet forms at least a portion of said sleeve type evaporator section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,143,169 Saler Jan. 10, 1939 2,266,983 Money Dec. 23, 1941 2,297,219 Hintze Sept. 29, 1942 2,306,772 Benson Dec. 29, 1942 2,386,889 Furry Oct. 16, 1945 2,411,376 Johnson Nov. 19, 1946 

